what is Gingrich's fascination with poor children?

I know folks know about his recent statements, but do you remember the "contract with American" plan of Gingrich's back during the Clinton administration? He's been out there for a long time on these issues.

In the mid-1990s, the Republican Party and Representative Newt Gingrich endorsed orphanages as a key component of their proposed Contract with America and the Personal Responsibility Act of 1995. The legislation, as proposed, would have limited the availability of benefits under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, resulting in significant savings to the government – savings that Representative Gingrich and others suggested could be used to establish and operate orphanages for poor children.

A backlash to the proposal ensued, however, and Gingrich and his calls for a return to orphanages became the target of widespread criticism by child welfare organizations and religious leaders. On the recommendation of their pollsters, the Republican Party in 1995 “removed the term ‘orphanage’ from their vocabulary and removed references to its use in all future [editions] of their Contract with America.”

source
http://www.ifcwb.org/images/orphanage_report_080304.pdf

I guess we should be glad he isn't suggesting poor children be sent to workhouses, a la Dickenensian England.

Yeah, I remember the "Contract ON America"... He was a loser then, and he's a loser now.

AspenValley wrote: I guess we should be glad he isn't suggesting poor children be sent to workhouses, a la Dickenensian England.

I think he sorta is.... put the poor kids cleaning the toilets at school. wtf?!?! really?!?!? come on newton

Wily Fox aka Angela wrote:

AspenValley wrote: I guess we should be glad he isn't suggesting poor children be sent to workhouses, a la Dickenensian England.

I think he sorta is.... put the poor kids cleaning the toilets at school. wtf?!?! really?!?!? come on newton

why not I was cleaning them at the age of 14 for a restaurant and my mother made me clean the bathrooms at home?

I think that the purpose of attending school is to go to class, not be relegated to 2nd class citizens cleaning toilets.

What was the name of that old Shirley Temple movie where her father is killed in WWI so the headmistress of the school turns her into a servant to the other students? Maybe that's where he got the idea.

Reminiscent of "Cinderella", isn't it. Instead of spending time studying and doing homework, they can look forward to slopping toilets. More "Compassionate Conservatism" at work.

he has said that he got the idea from BOYS TOWN
http://articles.philly.com/1994-12-06/e ... vie-lovers

December 06, 1994
Americans usually look to Washington for solutions to social problems. On Sunday, Washington looked to Hollywood. Hollywood, 1938.

Asked to comment on Hillary Clinton's criticism of his proposal to ship welfare children to "orphanages," Rep. Newt Gingrich (R., Ga.), told the panelists of NBC's Meet the Press that the First Lady should hie on down "to Blockbuster and rent the Mickey Rooney movie about Boys Town."

This advice, from the man who yesterday was elected speaker of the House of Representatives, confounded the nation's movie lovers, not to mention its social-service professionals.

All kids need to contribute to the house they live in by doing chores. It shows them that it takes the entire "family" to keep things running and they are needed.

I was doing dishes in first grade (drying) and cleaning the toilet in 5th grade, and the dusting. I'm sure others will state they started much earlier.

I also had to sleep in the closet and beg for pennies on the corner for a bowl of gruel.